Vriesea plant named June

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Vriesea plant named June, characterized by its very wide inflorescence relative to the overall size of the plant, abundant medium green foliage in a dense rosette, spectacular scape, arrangement and branches, all bright red in color, heavy floral branching, erect scape and alternately arranged bracts, and yellow flowers associated with each bract.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Vrieseaplant, referred to by the cultivar name June. The genus Vriesea is ofthe family Bromeliaceae.

June is a product of a planned breeding program conducted in Lithia,Fla. June was originated by the inventor Herbert Hill, Jr., from ahybridization made in the program in which the female or seed parent wasan unnamed cultivar of Vriesea×Brentwood, and the male or pollen parentwas a cultivar resulting from the cross of V. Vigeri×V. Cardinalis.

June was discovered and selected within the progeny of the statedparentage by Herbert Hill, Jr. in Spring 1984 in a controlledenvironment in Lithia, Fla. Subsequent asexual reproduction of June byHerbert Hill, Jr. in Lithia, Fla. by offshoots has demonstrated that thecombination of characteristics as herein disclosed for June are firmlyfixed and retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

June has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary significantly when grown under differentconditions of temperature, light, and other determining factors,without, however, any variation in the genotype. The followingobservations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown inLithia, Fla. under greenhouse conditions which closely approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of June which in combination distinguish thisVriesea as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. The total inflorescence is very wide in relation to the diameter ofthe foliage and the height of the plant.

2. Abundant solid medium green foliage in a dense rosette.

3. Spectacular scape arrangement and branches, all bright red in color.

4. The compound inflorescence contains nine or more branches, which areup to 24 cm in length.

5. The floral bracts are carried on an erect scape, are sharply ridgedand up to 42 mm in length.

The new cultivar can be compared in certain respects to cultivars of V.poelmanii. The respective plant shapes are similar and both have redinflorescence. However, June has many more leaves, with its leaves beinglonger and narrower; a longer and smaller diameter scape, more branchingin its inflorescence, and more remote floral bracts, as opposed to thethicker and umbricate bracts of the comparison cultivars.

In the accompanying color photographic drawings, sheet 1 comprises aperspective view of the inflorescence and foliage characteristics ofJune. Sheet 2 comprises an enlarged photograph showing the scape,bracts, and flowers in more detail. The colors are as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, except where color terms of ordinarysignificance are used. The color values were determined between 10:30a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Sep. 10, 1992, under slightly clouded but brightdaylight conditions at Lithia, Fla.

Classification:

Botanical.--Vriesea cv June.

PLANT

Form: Rosette.

Height: 55 to 65 cm when grown in 13 cm pot, and approximately 60 cm indiameter when fully grown.

Growth habit: Excellent, very vigorous.

Method of propagation: By offshoots, which often exceed 20 in number.

Foliage:

Quantity.--Abundant.

Size of leaf.--27 to 35 cm in length; width at tip is 0.5 cm and inmiddle is 3.5 to 4.0 cm.

Shape of leaf.--Oblong with tips slightly bending down; rounded andapiculate.

Surface texture.--Glabrous.

Margin.--Entire.

Color.--Upperside 137A; underside 146A color is solid with no patternsor striping.

Veins.--Upper surface: Slightly visible Under surface: Visible

Sheaths.--Broad, distinct, green, much wider than blades.

INFLORESCENCE

Bracts:

Scape.--Erect, 8 mm in diameter; scape bracts erect, imbricate, broadlyovate, apiculate, spreading, 43 mm long, 2 cm wide, light green,red-tinged, with dark green tip. Inflorescence laxly bipinnate, 8-12spikes, 3-5 cm long; primary bract broadly ovate, apiculate, 45 mm long,3 cm wide, many times shorter than raceme, cherry red; racemes spreadwith maturity, lax, 10-14 flowered, naked at base or with a singlesterile bract, lanceolate, acute, compressed, 14-21 cm long, 3-6 cmwide; rachis nearly straight, curving noticeably upward at maturity,glabrous, color cherry red 45A-B.

Floral bracts.--Distichous, imbricate, becoming lax with rachis exposedat maturity, broadly ovate, broadly acute, sharply carinate andincurved, exceeding the sepals; floral bracts 35-45 mm long, 25-28 mmwide, membranaceous, nerved, glabrous, color cherry red 45A-B.

Flowers: Typical, borne at and extending outwardly of floral bracts, oneflower per bract; flowering normally in progression from base to tip ofscape or bracts, with many flowers blooming at same time (see photos).Main flower color 17A. Flowers never secund; pedicels very short. Sepalsnarrowly elliptic, acute, nerved, 35 mm long, 10 mm wide, yellow; petalslinear, obtuse, 5 cm long, 6 mm wide, bearing 2 large obtuse scales atbase.

Reproductive organs: Stamens and style exserted, stigma and style 52 mmlong, anther and filament 55 mm long, ovary 1 cm long, 3 mm wide;capsule slender, acute, approximately 3 cm long; seed fusiform with longstraight basel coma.

Duration of blooming: After bud is visible, approximately one month isrequired for inflorescence to extend and develop. From this point thelateral spikes fold down and away from the scape. With anthesis, thelower flower bracts (calyx) of the terminal spike and lateral spikesbeing spreading and become lax. Floral bracts continue to spread asflowers develop until entire inflorescence is lax. During the period offlowering, the lateral spikes develop a unique bending. At a pointapproximately 4 cm from the rachis, the lateral spikes turn noticeablyupward producing an angle of 35-45 degrees. Depending on conditions,flowering extends over 11/2-21/2 months. After flowering, inflorescencecolor remains for 1-3 months.

Resistance to disease: No disease problems have been noted to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Vriesea plant named June, asillustrated and described.